Camilo's Journey

Chapter 7:

Camilo was back to having had a bad nights sleep. Spencer had spent the last few weeks ignoring him. Alex and Claudia too.
He tried talking to Claudia but all she told him was to give it time.
He was struggling in classes and had been told off a number of times for not paying attention. He was ready to go home so he called his mama.
"Hey Camilo, baby! How's it going? We miss you.." she stopped short when she heard him crying. "Oh my darling, what is it?" Her voice taking on her usual caring tone people often didn't think she had, but she definitely did. She just saved it for him and Antonio, as Delores was too old now.
"I'm struggling mama, I want to come home." He sobbed.
"Are you sure 'milo, I thought you wanted this more than anything?" She asked gently.
He did.. didn't he? He didn't know. When he didn't respond she said.

"If it's issues with the other kids like Delores thinks she is hearing, stick it out baby. Don't give up on what you want to do. Just give them time to love you like we do here. And they will, 'milo, just stop trying to hide your big heart."

By the time she'd finished saying that Camilo was still crying but he bathed in the comfort from his mama.

"Okay mama." He sniffed.

"Is it true there's a boy?" His Mama asked and he could hear the smile in her voice. It was surprising to him. He always thought of his parents as traditionalists, they never opposed queer people but they never spoke up about them either but maybe it was different with their own son.

But thinking about Spencer hurt, so he just ended up crying some more, causing him to be more honest with his mama than he ever had been.
"There was, but i think it's over. I scared him.. but he's so great mama, he's kind and caring and sweet and just.. maybe too good for me." He said.

"No one is too good for you 'milo, what's his name?" His mama asked. She was going somewhere with this, she always did. She was a hard thinker.

"Spencer." He sighed.

"Then you lick your wounds, you pick yourself up and go get him back! If Spencer is as caring and kind as you say he is, he'll get that you messed up, that we all do it 'milo! All the time! Just don't give up, if he makes you happy, and he sees you and he listens to you, don't let him go." Mama, in true Peppa Madrigal style gave a pep talk like no other.
Camilo didn't think he just said.

"He does mama." With a sniff. When he looked up he saw a teary Claudia in his door way. He waved her in and she closed the door behind her and sat on Camilo's bed.
"I love you mama, I miss you more than you know." He said.

"I love you too 'milo! Are you going to be okay?" She asked. And then his father's voice in the background.
"Peppa! You've got a cloud!" He said and Camilo smiled.
"What do you want from me, Camilo's having a rough time." She said to him.

His father's voice came over the phone.
"You okay 'milo?" He asked immediately.
"I will be, I hope." He sniffs.
"Aw 'milo, my son. You will, we all believe in you back here! You're stronger than you think."
Camilo smiled and resisted the urge to mimic his father.
He said his goodbyes and then turned to face Claudia.
"Well that was precious." She says and she wasn't mocking him. He smiled but he still wondered why she was here.
"Thanks, but what do you want from me?" He was too worn out to phrase it differently but she didn't care.
"I felt bad that you were going through this on your own, so I came to see how you were doing." She said softly and then smiled. "You're not as big and bad as you seem, Camilo Madrigal." She said.

"I'm not okay, I thought I had to be. To get people not to treat me like I'm weak. But.."

Claudia stopped him.
"But Spencer taught you otherwise?" She said.
Camilo nodded.